Forum

On behalf of all the students, teachers and volunteers
involved in the first annual Grandview High School Follies, I would like to
thank the Daily Sun News for the excellent coverage of our debut production
that took place this past May. An incredible amount of time and work was put
into our show and we appreciate the publicity of the local newspaper.

Thank you, parents and community members, for attending our
Follies production. Our tremendously talented group of students who
participated in the production should be very proud. Because of extraordinary
support we received, we surpassed our monetary goal by 50 percent.

/s/ Danika Martinez, GHS class of 2007 president

Public encouraged to get involved with 4th of July
celebration here

I am an active citizen who enjoys participating in local
activities, as well as getting others involved in doing the same. I recently
helped coordinate a fund-raiser for the Fourth of July celebration. We had
donation jars at businesses all around town, asking for money to help pay for
the public fireworks display at the Sunnyside High School football field. This
display is free to the public.

This was a success, however, we need to start planning for
next year. Our fireworks display could be a lot bigger if we all pitched in and
helped fund this project. We need to turn in funds for this project by June 1,
2005.

Our proposal is you, the public and the citizens of
Sunnyside, help fund this project by donating all your aluminum cans. If
everyone donated their cans we could raise enough money to have a spectacular
one-hour show for the 2005 Fourth of July display. We know that if we all work
together we can accomplish anything.

I spoke with Dave's Recycling Center in Grandview and I have
opened an account for this project. If you recycle your items at this location
and would like to donate all or part of your profits for this project, just let
them know at the counter and they will take your donation and deposit it into
the "Citizens of Sunnyside Fund."

We will furnish the containers for the aluminum cans, as
well as monitor them and pick them up as often as needed. Currently, we have
secured one site at the law and justice center, on First Street, near the
recycling dumpsters. We are presently trying to secure more sites where
citizens can drop off their aluminum can donations around town.

We need your help. Won't you please help by providing a
container site? Won't you please help by donating your aluminum cans and drop
them off at the designated site near the law and justice center? Won't you
please help by donating some or all of your recycling profits at Dave's
Recycling Center? Won't you please help by hosting a donation jar at your
business to raise funds for next year's fireworks display?

If you are able to help with this worthwhile community
project we would greatly appreciate your support. Please contact me at
837-6340.

/s/ Carol Stone, Sunnyside

Casino night

It's a shame more people didn't show up for the casino night
on Friday, Aug. 13, at the Sunnyside Senior Center. The ones who came certainly
enjoyed the evening.

When we entered the center we were given $200 in play money.
The kitchen counter was filled with all sorts of goodies, including delicious
sandwiches. After eating we chose games we wished to play to earn more money so
at the end of the evening we'd have enough play money to bid on items offered
in the auction.

All in all, it was a fun evening for all us seniors.

The emcee, Tom Byers, makes us all laugh and he did a great
job as usual. All of us send a great big thank you to those who helped make
casino night possible for all of us. Also, thanks to the young man who carried
out my winnings to the car in the dark.

And it would be a shame to lose this fair, disappointing a
lot of kids and parents who count on participating every year. Grandview's fair
is just one of three community fairs held annually in the Yakima Valley,
besides Toppenish's and West Valley's.

How are these fairs threatened? Because the county budget of
$390,000 for Yakima County WSU Extension's match is in jeopardy. While about 80
percent of the county's nearly $55 million budget for law and justice is
essential in keeping our communities safe, it is also essential to keep the
positive impacts that Extension brings to the residents of Yakima County.

4-H is based in the Extension Service. If Extension was
eliminated, the 4-H program in Yakima County would be eliminated. Hundreds of
youth in 4-H and FFA participate in county fairs, yet 4-Hers participate about
10 to 1 over those in FFA—which means the fairs would probably collapse due to
lack of participation. This is exactly what happened in Multnomah County in
Oregon.

4-H is just a tip of the iceberg of the benefits of
Extension. Extension agents in horticulture and livestock advance those
industries with information in cutting edge technology and research.
Agriculture is a foundation of Yakima County. The Extension Service is
exemplary in using volunteers to improve lifestyles of residents by teaching
food safety, improved nutrition, sewing, gardening and living on a budget, to
name a few.

$390,000 is a small portion, creating a huge positive
impact, of the $55 million county budget. Yakima County receives approximately
two times the match in resources for its investment in WSU Extension. If the
money is not approved for Extension, it will be sorely missed, and cause a
"trickle down" effect with a loss of valuable industry information,
household education and community fairs in Toppenish, West Valley and
Grandview.

/s/ Karin Argo, Zillah

Vote for righteousness

Yes Bob (Story), you are correct, when you said, "who
do we vote for?"

Regarding the U.S. Senate, I would like to share the
following: the Bible says, "righteousness exalts a nation." Here is
our chance to vote for righteousness (www.bradklippert.com). Be sure to click
on the link "Sound the Alarm."

This man's brochure and web site make no bones about his
Godly stance. It states, "a God-fearing, Bible-believing, Ten
Commandments-honoring evangelical Christian."

Oh, that God fearing people would vote their conscience.

/s/ Barbara Mortensen, Sunnyside

Softball tourney

What a great weekend we had in Sunnyside, with a 20-team
softball tournament at SunnyView Park.

For those who think SunnyView's ball fields don't get used,
you are very wrong. With 15 of the 20 teams being from out of town, just
imagine what kind of revenue Sunnyside generated. Players and their families
stayed overnight and ate at various restaurants, or shopped at local stores.

Fifteen teams times 14 players per team, plus families,
makes for a lot of money spent in town.

I, myself, spent the $2,200 for tournament expenses here
locally.

I want to thank the city park staff for its excellent work
all week to prepare the fields for use. We had quite a few compliments. Also, I
want to thank our sponsors: Aztlan Sportswear, El Valle Restaurant and The
Valley's Market. Thanks also to Linda, Jaime, Bobby Jr., Jessica, Andre and
Bobby III Sarmiento, and Rene and Yolanda Montelongo, for all their hard work.
Without everyone's help this success wouldn't have taken place.

/s/ Bob Sarmiento Sr.

Guard rail efforts

I want to especially thank one individual who has taken on
several projects and volunteered all her time and effort. Carol Stone has done
an excellent job in organizing the plantings along the guard rail. Carol
organized all of the volunteers to plant the hundreds of bulbs and starts in
this area in Sunnyside. She donated most of the items and received donations
for the rest.

After this project was completed Carol then came to me with
a new idea to paint the guard rail and have multi-color handprints decorate the
guard rail. Again, she organized this effort and did a great job. Thanks to
Carol this area is much brighter and more colorful for all of us to enjoy.

It is good to know that we can count on individuals to
volunteer their time and energy to make our community a better place to live.